Aakash Chopra Praises Rahul Tewatia's Clutch Performance in GT's Thrilling Win

Aakash Chopra Highlights Tewatia's Key Role

New Delhi [India] May 7: Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra emphasized the significance of Rahul Tewatia's retention by Gujarat Titans (GT), citing his exceptional ability to perform under pressure. He noted Tewatia's knack for delivering crucial performances, even when facing limited balls, and pointed out the impact of a fielding penalty on Mumbai Indians (MI) during the final over, which allowed them to have four fielders outside the 30-yard circle.

“Tewatia is a genuine clutch player, which is why GT was eager to keep him. I had a conversation with Ashish Nehra, who mentioned, ‘If Tewatia entered the auction, I would likely bid around Rs 10 crore for him. Few Indian players can bat effectively in such situations. He often has only a few deliveries to face and is expected to hit boundaries consistently. In today’s match, he faced just six balls and managed to score a vital four. MI faced additional challenges with five fielders inside the circle during the final over due to a fielding penalty. Defending just 15 runs after a long break is quite challenging. The boundary off the first ball could have been avoided with a different field setup. But that’s the nature of these matches,’ said JioStar expert Aakash Chopra during Match Centre Live on JioHotstar.

In the match on Tuesday, GT won the toss and chose to bowl first. A notable 71-run partnership between Will Jacks (53 runs off 35 balls, including five fours and three sixes) and Suryakumar Yadav (35 runs off 24 balls, with five fours) helped restrict MI to 155/8 in their 20 overs.

Sai Kishore was the standout bowler for GT, taking 2 wickets for 34 runs, while Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Arshad Khan, Rashid Khan, and Gerald Coetzee each claimed a wicket.

The run chase was filled with ups and downs for both sides. GT lost Sai Sudharsan early, but a 72-run partnership between captain Shubman Gill (43 runs off 46 balls, with three fours and a six) and Jos Buttler (30 runs off 27 balls, with three fours and a six) helped them recover.

In the 14th over, with GT at 107/2, rain interrupted the game, but GT was ahead according to the DLS Method. After the break, MI's Jasprit Bumrah (2 wickets for 19 runs) and Trent Boult (2 wickets for 22 runs) turned the tide, reducing GT to 132/6 in 18 overs before another rain delay.

Upon resuming, GT faced a revised target of 147 runs with one over remaining. Rahul Tewatia (11*) and Gerald Coetzee (12) successfully guided GT to victory by three wickets in a nail-biting finish. Gill was awarded the ‘Player of the Match’ title.